The sculptural narratives of Lynda Benglis and Alberto Giacometti are coming together for the first time in history in a new exhibition held at the Barbican. This meeting, which constitutes the third installment of the “Encounters: Giacometti” series, establishes an unexpected ground for dialogue between two artists from different generations. The exhibition will continue to welcome visitors on Level 2 of the Barbican Centre until May 31, 2026.
A Sculptural Contact Across Generations
In this comprehensive presentation, new and previously unseen works by contemporary American artist Lynda Benglis are displayed alongside Alberto Giacometti sculptures personally selected by the artist herself. Organized by the Barbican and the Fondation Giacometti, in partnership with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi, the exhibition puts the formal experiments of both artists under the microscope. This curation, moving through Benglis’s own selection, establishes organic links between one of the 20th century’s most significant sculptors and one of today’s most liberated seekers of form.
The Organic and Elongated State of Form
Having carved out a unique place in the art world since the 1960s, Lynda Benglis is known for organic and abstract forms that are as jarring as they are joyful. Benglis’s free-form works, often described as “ecstatic,” confront Giacometti’s famous elongated silhouettes that shook the foundations of the human figure. This contrast between Giacometti’s existential experiments on figures and Benglis’s instinctive masses offers the audience a chance to observe the evolution of sculpture within a single space.
Accessibility: During the exhibition, the Barbican provides various accessibility resources, including wheelchair access, large-print exhibition texts, and audio-described viewing sessions.
